Mamata takes out anti-hooch rally in Kolkata

Kolkata, Jan 11 (IANS) Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Sunday took out a rally in Kolkata to protest the sale of poisonous country-made liquor that claimed several lives here last week. “The West Bengal government should give compensation to the families of each victim who died after consuming poisonous country-made liquor at Khidirpore port area in south-west Kolkata,” Banerjee said.

She also said the government must take action within next seven days to ban the sale of illegal liquor across the state, and addied that if the government failed to impose the ban, Trinamool Congress would cripple the state machinery.

Banerjee, who Sunday gave Rs.2,000 to the family of each hooch victim from her party funds, also asked Trinamool workers to protest against the sale of country-made liquor at the block levels.

At least 27 people died in the incident at the Bibi Halt and Hooghly Basti areas of Khidirpore locality Jan 3 after drinking hooch.